Life Unto Death (SYOC)
by Nefertam
Summary: When teenager Cody Kettu is kidnapped from his home in the middle of the night, he is forced to the realization that he is not just an average kid. When Cody is forced to fight in the Coliseum, a gladiatorial death match, will he submit to the will of his new master? Or will he and his friends choose to break free from their imprisonment? SYOC
1. Introduction

When teens in the near future are forcefully stolen from their houses at night, they will learn that not only do they have strange abilities corresponding to the four seasons, but also that their captors are intending to use them for nefarious purposes: one-on-one combat in the Coliseum. When the time comes to fight, will they crumble under the will of their new master, or will they draw the strength to fight back?

The Character Form for this story is in my profile! Make sure to PM me with your submission. Characters will be selected based on creativity and originality. Make sure to describe your character in detail, or else I will not be able to use them. When it comes to armor, the material all armors are made out of is 'vibromesh'. Vibromesh is a skintight material, normally woven into a body suite worn with or without armor plates. Kind of like chain-mail. Armors should look a mix of futuristic and old world. Powers cannot be too perfect or, well, powerful. They must also correspond to your characters season, but must not be cliché. If your character's season is winter, their power should be something more creative than they can "make it snow". These teens have powers but are not superheroes. Authors are limited to TWO submissions. Keep all this in mind, and thank you for submitting! **MALES NEEDED**

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><p>"G'night mom! Love you" said Cody as he walked up the stairs of his two-story home for bed. He walked into his room, changed into pajamas, and got ready for bed. He hummed a tuneless song as he brushed his teeth, spitting into the porcelain sink. He then slid under the covers, exhausted from a long day of school and soccer.<p>

Fall was always the busiest season for the sixteen-year-old, as it was for many others his age. It was to thoughts of upcoming games and school activities that he fell asleep.

Cody woke up as he was violently dragged from bed. He kicked and screamed, trying to break free, but his captor was too strong. He called for help, but was gagged by another stranger. He could see his home had been ransacked; shards of glass and wood splinters littered the hallway.

Cody was unceremoniously thrown down the stairs, landing hard on his elbow. "Don't toss him around like that! The Master will be furious if he is injured!" hissed one of the masked goons. "I'm sure the Master won't mind a few bruises" said the larger of the two invaders, kicking Cody in the gut. He lifted the spluttering boy and hauled him outside. A large van was parked in the driveway. The shorter goon popped the trunk, and Cody was shoved in a heap inside.


	2. Chapter 1

Cody woke up to blinding light. His muscles ached from being crammed in the trunk for what felt like hours. The bigger goon lifted him by the arms out of the windowless van, into the fluorescent lights of a garage. Cody considered making a run for it, but it'd be no use. Both thugs were armed with guns and his hands were bound behind his back. He tried to speak, but his mouth was still gagged. All Cody could do was walk, hoping the two men wouldn't beat him anymore.

_What… what's going on? Why is this happening to me? _thought Cody, mind and heart racing a million miles a minute. He just wanted to be home, wanted to know why he was here. He also wanted to punch the big goon in the face for kicking him in the gut, but with a gun trained on his back, Cody figured that would be suicidal. So instead he clenched his jaw and seethed.

"Move faster, nice and easy" said the shorter goon as they approached a red, rusty door. Once inside, there was a staircase. "Down you go" growled the bigger man. Cody would have made a snarky remark, but he didn't quite have the capacity. The descent took longer than Cody would have expected and was not merciful on his already aching muscles. The larger goon was huffing by the time they reached the bottom, but he shoved Cody on nonetheless.

A hallway stretched in front of the group, ending in a chain-link gate spanning from ceiling to floor. The shorter thug stepped up to an intercom panel on the wall in front of the gate. "This is Hunter 499, requesting entrance" said the goon, pressing a button. "Who's with you?" asked a tired sounding voice from the speaker. "Hunter 5-27 and a new combatant for the Master" he said almost gleefully. Whoever this 'Master' was, Cody was certain he did not want to meet him.

"Are you taking him to the Surgeon now?" asked the static-muffled voice. "Of course" replied the smaller Hunter. "Okay, well have a good one, Mac." said the voice. A loud metallic buzz sounded and the gate swung open. "Move it" snarled the big Hunter. Cody rolled his eyes and begrudgingly moved on, not able to do much else. The trio walked down a stark white hallway, their footsteps echoing off the tiled floor. The ground was cold beneath Cody's bare feet, and the chilly air raised goosebumps on his shirtless, pale flesh. He shuffled along as best he could, but tripped twice on his baggy pajama pants.

Finally, they came to a turn in the hall. Large stainless-steel double doors loomed at the end of the way. Above the doors, in large industrial letters, read: OPERATION ROOM. "You're gonna love the Surgeon" Mac, the smaller goon, practically cackled. A shiver of dread passed through Cody. He normally wasn't the type to get scared; now he was terrified. The big Hunter shoved him hard in the back, nearly tripping him. "Don't want to keep the good doctor waiting, now do we?"

The operation room was dark, save for a row of metal tables positioned under blinding surgical lights. Mac grabbed Cody's shoulder, shepherding him to the nearest of the steel operating tables. Cody tried to stop, to wriggle his way free, but one whack of the Hunter's gun was all it took to stop his struggles. Cody, now dazed, was lifted onto the counter. his gag and bindings were cut. His arms and legs were then tightly strapped down with leather bands, inhibiting movement. The job finished, the Hunters left their quarry for the Surgeon to begin his work.

Cody's head cleared after a few moments. The freezing table chilled him to the bone. _I really should have worn a shirt to bed, _he thought as he lay shivering. The sound of a door opening shook him from his reverie. An odd looking man neared the table. The man was rail-thin, practically a skeleton. He had wisps of thin, strawberry-blonde hair on his balding head, and thin, beady eyes. His lab coat signified he was some form of doctor or scientist.

"What a fine specimen we have here" said the doctor in a harsh, thin voice. "A Child of Autumn, are we? You certainly look strong enough to be one." Cody did not know how to process the information being given to him. Child of Autumn? What was that supposed to mean. "You have a good physique; that will serve you well in the Coliseum. It always does."

"Who are you?" asked Cody. "Why, I am the Surgeon dear boy. I am here to unlock your true potential; to make you… better" explained the Surgeon. The way he explained it raised the hairs on the back of Cody's neck. "What are you going to do to me?" Cody asked through clenched teeth. "You shall see soon enough" said the Surgeon.

Cody tried to break free from his bonds, but it was no use. Despite all his effort, the straps would not break. "Let me give you something to calm you down" soothed the Surgeon, plunging a syringe into Cody's neck. The last thing he heard as he drifted to sleep was the Surgeon's wicked laughter...


	3. Chapter 2

Cody woke up to the sounds of a heated argument. "Well, he can't stay with me! He's a boy!" shouted a girl's voice. "He has to! He's gonna be unstable for a few days, and you're the closest thing to a medic we have!" commanded another girl authoritatively. "Fine! Whatever. You owe me one." replied the first voice.

Cody sat up in bed, rubbing sleep from his light blue eyes. He tried to stretch, but a deep pain in his side sent him back down into bed with a yelp of pain. "Don't try to get up yet. The Surgeon got you good" said a tall teenage girl.

She was quite tall and tan, almost pretty in a fierce sort of way. Her long hair fell in a ponytail behind her, boning as she walked. She wore a plain forest-green, V-neck t-shirt, as well as tight dark jeans. She wore no accessories, though judging by her scars it appeared that she may have once had earrings.

"I'm Parker. Parker Kelly. You've been asleep for an entire day" said the girl. "Most newbies who have to deal with the Surgeon are only unconscious for for an hour or two."

"An entire day? What'd he do to me?" asked Cody.

"He probably did to you what he does to most newbies. He activated your abilities" Parker explained. "He did what? Abilities? Wait, where are we?" questioned Cody, starting to panic.

"Hold on a sec, I don't even know your name yet, and since you're going to be here a while, you might as well start there" Parker said.

"Cody... my name's Cody" he replied hesitantly. "Well Cody, you are in the grand structure known as the Coliseum. Well, under it. And no, it's not the same Coliseum as the one in Rome."

"But I don't belong here, I was kidnapped from my home!" exclaimed Cody. "We all were kidnapped. Every one of us. All of us had to go through the Surgeon too, but some of us had it better than others."

"You mentioned 'abilities'. What did you mean?" "Did the Surgeon mention something about children? Before he operated on you?"

"I think he called me a 'Child of Autumn'. Whatever that means" Cody said.

"Okay, you're not going to understand all of this right away, but hold your questions to the end. We were taken because we're... different. From other teens, that is. Special, I guess you could say. There's really no other way to way to put this. We have powers. Powers that seem to strengthen and wane with the seasons."

"I'm a Child of Summer. My powers are strongest in the summertime and weakest during winter. Before I came here, I had no noticeable abilities. The Surgeon 'unlocks' the abilities of kids sent here through some kind of operation, and after mine I developed my powers. All of our abilities correspond to our season. I can bend sunlight and manipulate fire. Your powers will be different, unique."

"Powers? Like superheroes?" asked Cody. "Not quite. You'll see soon enough" Parker responded. "When can I get out of this bed?" Cody inquired. "Right now, if you want. You have to take it easy though. And you're going to need to stay with me for the next few days while you recover. Tonight however, you're going to want to look presentable."

"Why's that?" Cody asked.

"You and the other newbies are going to see the Master."

"The Master? As in the guy who's keeping us here?" asked an outraged Cody. "That's the guy. I mentioned before that this place is called the Coliseum. We are here to fight. Mostly each other, but sometimes we fight some of the Surgeon's Abominations."

"Tonight, you will be displayed with the other new combatants to the Master and the Coliseum's Patrons. If a Patron decides they like you, they will pay for your weapons training and luxuries while you stay here. For instance, combatants who have richer Patron's will have better living quarters, like mine."

"Anyways, tonight they'll suite you up in armor and place each of you on pedestals in the arena. They'll announce your name, power, and an estimation of how you'll perform in the arena." Parker explained.

"How long have you been here? You seem like you know your way around" wondered Cody. "Two years. This year's my last here, then... I don't know. Nineteen-year-olds just disappear. I'm expecting the worst" Parker replied dejectedly.

Before Cody could reply, a tall girl with platinum-blonde hair entered the room with a pile of clothes. She looked significantly harsher than Parker, all pale skin and sharp angles. Beautiful, but deadly, like an icicle. "I brought him clothes. See that he's dressed and ready for tonight" commanded the newcomer. Her piercing blue eyes swept over Cody and Parker before she stiffly turned to leave.

"What's her problem?" asked a bewildered Cody. "That's Raven. She came here with me two years ago; she thinks she rules the place. She doesn't" added Parker with a lopsided grin.

"Is she a Child of Winter?" Cody noticed her cold, rigid features. "Surprisingly not. Don't ever tell her that though, or she'll whoop you in the arena. She's a Child of Summer, and proud of it."

"Do you, uh, fight to the death? In the arena?" Cody asked. "Not normally, but accidents happen." Parker replied. "Here, take these and go get dressed. You may not have noticed but you're in your underwear. Only your underwear. In my bed."

Cody gave a little gasp and blushed. "Sorry about that!" he apologized, pulling the sheets to his chin."Sorry about that!" he apologized, pulling the sheets to his chin. "Do you have a bathroom? If you could just leave the clothes on the bed and turn around, I can take them and get changed." "The bathroom's through that door there" said Parker, nodding to the nearest door to the bed. "Thanks!" replied Cody as he gathered up the clothes and practically ran to the bathroom.

Cody locked the door behind him and glanced in the mirror. A bandage wrapped around his back and side, most likely where the 'operation' occurred. A bruise near Cody's abdominal was the only indication of the beating the Hunters gave him. Cody shrugged on the form fitting burgundy t-shirt and dark jeans. He put on athletic socks and practical black tennis shoes. Not his preferable fashion, but he figured now was not the time to be picky. He brushed his tousled brown hair into its normal business wave, then left the bathroom.

"Well you look a lot better. How are your cuts and bruises holding up?" asked Parker. "They don't hurt too badly." Cody assured. "Why are you so good at this medical stuff anyways?" "You're just full of questions, aren't you? My dad was a doctor. He taught me everything I know. The medics here aren't very reliable, so when they can, wounded kids come to me. My Patron's even given me medical supplies" explained Parker. "Come on, I want to show you around."


	4. Chapter 3

After a series of hallways and a maze of doors, Parker led Cody to the Plaza, the center of the subterranean portion of the Coliseum, the Underground. Voices echoed loudly off the high, domed ceiling, giving the space a crowded feel while in reality there were only about thirty teens in the Plaza. The airy, circular room held many services, from a food court, to a clothing provider; an armorer, an armory, and the entrance to the Hall. "And over here is where you'll be eating all your meals. The food here isn't too bad unless you're picky" explained Parker as she toured Cody through the Plaza.

"See those doors over there? They lead to the Hall, the training center of the Underground. Once you get a Patron, you'll be able to pick a weapon from the armory, and start your training" said Parker. "Speaking of which, we should start heading over to the Prep Station. They'll give your armor and make you look pretty" she laughed.

The Prep Station turned out to be a short walk from the Plaza. It was a large room, though not quite so large as the previous chamber. The Prep Station was a mix of an armory and a salon. "You have about five minutes till the attendants will start attacking you, so you can look around if you want." Parker said. Cody wandered amongst racks of strange looking bits of armor; curved chest-plates, spiked arm guards, tactical boots. He picked up what appeared to be a red nylon shirt, but it felt too heavy to be the athletic material. "Hey Parker, what is this?" asked Cody, feeling the strange fabric.

"That's what they call 'vibromesh'. Its like really lightweight chainmail. Combatants normally wear it under larger pieces of armor because it isn't impervious to attack, but it'll hold up if you get cut. Its really a lot like leather, if leather looked like it was made by Nike or Adidas." she explained. "Looks like its time to start. Head over there with the other combatants" Parker said nodding towards the salon side of the room.

Cody made his way to the row of reclined chairs facing mirrors. It almost look like a hair cuttery, an abnormal sight in the dark corridors of the Underground. At each chair stood an attendant, each wearing a dark apron. Cody walked towards a group of confused looking teens, not one of them speaking a single word. "Welcome to the Prep station!" rang out a voice from what sounded like some overhead intercom system. "Our attendants will have you looking presentable for the events tonight! Thank you for your cooperation."

The stylist at the end of the row shouted out a name, and a distressed girl begrudgingly walked towards her. The next attendant called out someone elses name, as did the one after her, and the one after her. Finally, a stylist called Cody, gesturing for him to take a seat. "Hello Cody" said the high heeled, brunette attendant. She had high, pale cheek bones and a tight, formal bun on the top of her head. She was as pale and flawless as a ghost. Cody already didn't like her. "I am just going to make you look as good as possible for the presentation. We are going to start with hair and makeup, then we'll get you into your armor." she said in a slow, almost calming voice. It sent a shiver up Cody's spine.

The woman stuck to her word, applying a thin layer of masking foundation to Cody's face and neck. Then she brushed his hair and gelled it. "We may need to cut it before you go into your first match, but this should do for now" reassured the stylist. After finishing his hair, the woman led Cody back to the racks of armor. "I heard your armor was chosen with the utmost care. You must have already won the attention of some higher-up" said the woman in her icy-calm voice. That remark struck Cody as odd. He hadn't even been here and conscious for a day, yet somehow he was already being watched? "Here we are" said the woman, gesturing to a nearby mannequin. The dummy wore a dull, golden chestplate, engraved with an ornate rising sun and thorn motif. On the right arm the mannequin wore a bracer which spanned from the wrist to the elbow. This too sported an elaborate swirling design of thorns. The bottom half of the dummy wore form fitting, golden-brown pants which appeared to be made out of that vibromesh material. Graceful golden hugged up to the mid-calf of the model. Finally, the dummy wore a vibromesh hood of the same color as the pants, over which was worn a golden crown of vines.

"I'll be wearing this to battle?" Cody asked skeptically. The entire assembly looked too vulnerable, giving him an uneasy feeling. "Don't worry, these suites are designed as much for beauty as they are for protection" smiled the attendant. Cody sighed as the attendant started to stip the mannequin. Once she was finished, she said "now lets get you into these." "Right here?" Cody asked in disbelief. Where they were standing was not necessarily private. Other teens and their attendants roamed the racks of armor to find their sets. Any one of them could see him as he changed. But as he looked around, he noticed some of the kids were already changing into their battle suits, some shamelessly, while others did so awkwardly. "Go ahead. Put them on" said the stylist more forcefully. Not wanting to face her wrath, Cody started to strip.

When he finally got every piece of armor on, he walked around a little bit, testing it out. None of the pieces felt too heavy, and his boots fit very comfortably. The vibromesh pants, sleeveless shirt, and hood were very light and cool, which concerned Cody. It was bad enough that his upper right arm and entire left arm would be completely bear, but the vibromesh covered his neck, head, and legs. If the stuff wasn't as protective as others said, he could be in a lot of trouble. But that was a concern for later. "Looks like you're ready to go" said the attendant with a eerie smile. "Why don't you head over there with the other ready children. You are about to be led into the arena."

**Thank you everyone who has sent in characters! I've received a lot of unique ones! I still need two male OC's, so if anyone would like to send them, and they haven't already sent in two, I'd be more than happy to accept them! Also, Pleases review, and feel free to critique!**


	5. Chapter 4

It was a short journey from the Prep Station to the arena. The eight confused, armored teens huddled near a large garage door. Screams and cheers roared outside the closed entrance, deafening and frightening the adolescence. Cody felt a tight knot of apprehension in his gut. He was nervous, as much as he was bewildered. It was all just too much to take in for one day. The sound of the door lifting shook Cody from his thoughts. Intense lights blinded the startled teenagers.

"Let's welcome our new combatants!" sounded a pleasant robotic female voice throughout the arena. It took a few seconds for Cody's eyes to adjust to the blinding light, but the scene before him was not very encouraging. The group of teens stood at the far end of an oval arena. Nine-foot walls trapped them on the floor of the stadium, presumably where the fighting would occur. Rows upon rows of benches lined the stadium, filled with frenzied fans. On the other side of the stadium, Cody noticed a balcony, jutting into the arena. In the center of the outcropping sat a man on a raised chair, flanked by servants. He was too far away to tell for sure, but Cody thought the man wore a mask. Above the balcony hung a huge screen with could be seen from anywhere in the stadium. Cameras panned to show each of our faces.

"Combatants! To your pedestals!" called the pleasant artificial voice. An armed guard, dressed in all black like the Hunters Cody encountered when he was kidnapped, led the teens to a row of raised stands lining the center of the arena. The pedestals all faced towards the balcony. Cody stepped up to the third one in. "Our first combatant of the night is a young sixteen-year old Child of Spring, by the name of Zacharias Hearten. He sports iron armor reminiscent of a forest day, engraved with woodland animals! As a Child of Spring, Zacharias can manipulate the will of animals and make plants grow. Patrons who wish to bid to sponsor Zacharias or any of the other combatanrs may do so immediately after the event" said the smooth robotic voice. The screen showed Zacharias in his iron armor and what appeared to be black vibromesh pants.

"Our next combatant of the evening is a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl named Nadia Seraph! This stunning Child of Autumn shows her a elegance in a dark bodice of vibromesh, connecting at the throat with golden flame ornaments. Nestled into the upper portion of the bodice is an elegant blood-red gem that gleams wickedly when looked at directly. On her right shoulder of the armor there are bone-like protrusions, showing this girl is both beautiful, and dangerous! Her left arm is almost completely bear except for a vibromesh fingerless glovelet with small spikes across the knuckles.. On her bottom half she's wearing a pair of black, skin-tight vibromesh pants with red stripes that almost look like running blood. She's also wearing armored boots that come to her lower mid thigh, with the same flame design as the armor at her her throat. This beauty has the ability to age those she touches in just seconds, draining their youth and vitality! I would not want to go up against her!" warbled the feminine voice.

"Next we have another Child of Autumn, the dashing Cody Kettu! Cody's ornate golden armor shows an engraved rising sun over interwoven thorns! These thorns also wrap around the bracer he wears on his right forearm! He shows his muscles with a sleeveless vibromesh shirt, connected to a hood which protects his head. Around the top of Cody's head is a golden crown of thorns. For-fitting, golden-brown vibromesh pants tuck into his thin golden boots at the mid calf. All I can say is that this boy is truly the epitome of elegance, grace, and beauty! This sixteen-year-old Child of Autumn has the ability to generate bird-like wings of blood, and feeds off the life force of his combatants! The longer he fights, the stronger he becomes as he drains the energy of his opponent!"

Cody didn't quite understand what the voice meant by 'wings of blood' or 'draining other's life forces', but he assumed he'd find out soon enough. "And now we have the foreign Chance Yeong-Sik, originally from North Korea! A seventeen-year-old Child of Spring, Chance wears armor inspired by olden Korean styles. His blue-highlighted jacket and links of iron armor plates are a mix of utter practicality and a smooth incorporation of ancient times! He wears a headset and visor which help channel his power and offer facial protection. This cutie has the ability to control, manipulate, and generate lightning and pure energy! It must be shocking to see him on the battlefield!" joked the now annoying female AI.

"Now we have seventeen-year-old Viola French! This gorgeous Child of Winter is suited in a simple yet archaic design, reminiscent of the Ancient Romans. Her crested helm could have been worn by a legionar, as well as her breastplate. Underneath this piece she wears a dark red jumpsuit of heat-resistant vibromesh that covers her torso, arms, and legs! She also wears bracelets which help her to channel her powers. As a Child of Winter, this feisty girl has the ability to control fire and heat! While many may think she should be a Child of Summer, she uses her heat related powers to stave off the cold of winter!"

"Our next combatant-to-be is Aoife Feechin, a dark-haired Child of Spring! Tonight, and in her future battles, Aoife wears spiked purple and grey leather bracers and chest plate, over vibromesh pants and gloves. Her streamline helmet fits snugly over her face and head, offering maximum protection. This Child of Spring can create whipping winds and rain to change the atmosphere of battle. Aoife can also fly using her whirlwind abilities, a most fearsome force indeed!"

The robotic voice explained about the remaining combatants in detail. Cody stopped listening after a while and stared at the screaming crowd. It was like watching fans at a football game. Animals. They must have known this was illegal, that these kids had been taken from their homes. Cody scowled at the crowd, hating them for their enthusiasm.

When the feminine voice finished listing the gathered teens, she thanked everyone present. Then she turned the attention to the masked figure, the Master. "My good people, my Patrons and loving watchers of these glorious games! I am very pleased with this year's prospects, these fine young men and women! I am sure that you will enjoy their experiences here; you always do. I have a very important announcement to make however. For these past few years, our gladiators have only ever fought until one of the combatants could not continue. There shall be a glorious turn of events in this arena. Our gladiators shall now fight… to the death!"


	6. Chapter 5

Cody felt slapped as the crowd took up the chant "to the death! to the death!" It was to this commotion that the horrified children were rounded up and led out of the arena.

Cody didn't remember how, probably because he was still thinking about what had just happened, but he had been led back into the Plaza because that's where he stood now. He had to find Parker, tell her what was happening. It didn't take him too long to find her. She was talking to Raven near the Training area.

"They're going to make us fight to the death!" He blurted breathlessly, still shocked and trying to wrap his mind around it.

"What do you think we were discussing?" Raven snapped, glaring at the teenager. "They are also going to force us to watch the first match. Did they tell you that?" she asked bitterly.

"Cool it Raven," said Parker, glancing over at the platinum-blonde.

"It's true though, I want you to send him to rest. He's going to have a rough day tomorrow," Raven commanded.

"Very well mistress," retorted Parker sarcastically. "Come on," she told Cody who looked like a deer in the headlights.

"We can't do this. I don't know about you, but sixteen years isn't long enough for me!" Cody said a little panicky.

"What do you suggest we do? It's not like we can just leave," Parker pointed out. Cody swallowed back another comment realizing that there really _was _nothing they could do.

It was silent the whole way to Parker's room, when they finally reached it, Cody stumbled in, feeling fatigued from all the day's activity.

"If you want to use the shower, just let me know. You're starting to stink," she said with a half hearted smile.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer," Cody said and scrunched his nose up, he really _did _stink.

Cody entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, he stripped out of the day's clothing as steam fogged up the mirror. He stepped into the shower and cleaned his hair, then scrubbed the boney and muscular ridges of his body. He wanted to scream or cry at how unfair the situation was, but he knew that wouldn't help.

He hugged his ribs tightly, nails gouging into his side, and tried to get a grip on his new reality, a reality where death would be waiting in an oval arena, cheered on by swarms of raging fans. A reality where his life would be controlled by complete strangers.

Cody dried off and put his old clothes back on. Then he left the bathroom and laid down on his makeshift bed on the couch, courtesy of Parker. He watched as the girl went into the bathroom herself. He fell asleep to the sound of the running shower.

"Hey! Wake up! Come on!" Cody heard a voice shout as his blankets were yanked off of him. He groggily glanced up at Parker, feeling the sting of the cold morning air and shivered a little.

He looked down and realized his shirt had ridden up overnight, all the way up to his chest. He hastily pulled it back down over his body, then sat up on the couch.

"You might want to go get ready, We have a big day ahead and your hair looks like a porcupine" Parker said, laughing a little and walking over to a small dresser, where she gathered up some clothes to change into later.

Cody entered the bathroom and stripped from his previous outfit and changed into a new one, he glanced up at himself in the mirror and let out a breath. He wasn't really looking forward to watching the first death match, but like Parker had said earlier there was nothing they could do.

"We're going to have to skip breakfast 'cause we're running late," Parker told him as she brushed her hair. Cody's stomach growled in protest, but he kept his mouth shut. "Time to watch the first death match" Parker said grimly.

The pair made their way to the Plaza at a brusque pace. From there they turned down a hallway Cody didn't recognize, at the end of the hall rose a flight of stairs, then a rusted metal door. Cody gulped as he stared at the door, knowing what was on the other side of it as he could hear faint screams and cheers.

As Parker creaked it open and the sounds grew louder. Cody stepped into the room, a small rectangular area. There was no wall across from him, only a large window that overlooked the arena. It was almost as though they were in a viewing box in a sports stadium.

"Good morning everyone! We are so glad you have come to see today's first challenge, and our first death match!" said the same robotic voice as the night before. "Our first combatants will be fan-favorite, Arthur Scarr, Child of Spring!" She paused for dramatic effect and the screams and cheers got louder, Cody wondered what was so special about Arthur. "Facing Arthur will be Jamie Franklin, Child of Winter!"

*Cody glanced down at the arena, noticing the tall walls that kept the fighters away from the crowd had cracked parts and what looked like some blood on it. Though it didn't surprise him that much, seeing as this _was _the place where the teens came to fight.*

Both boys stood at opposite ends of the sandpit, Arthur wore a blue jacket with vibromesh plates while Jamie wore a form fitting vibromesh jumpsuit of red and black with wicked looking spikes on the shoulders. Despite his armor Jamie still appeared to be extremely thin compared to Arthur's built stature.

Jamie held a translucent sword, which Cody doubted would hold up well against Arthur's sturdy looking dual swords.

"Let the battle... Begin!"

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><p><strong>Hey guys! I know this chapter has been long in coming, but between being sick and exams it was hard to find time to work on it. Hope you guys like it. I would also like to thank user 'I am Katie Daughter of Demeter' for beta reading and editing some grammatical errors!<strong>


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